All 32 teams are trimmed down to 53 players after the NFL’s roster cut deadline concluded on Aug. 30, as hundreds of veterans, recent draft picks and promising undrafted free agents entered the open market. Here, franchises were able to add to their squads via the waiver process. A large handful of players who were on the wrong side of the roster cut line have now found new jobs.
The waiver claim deadline passed at 1 p.m. ET on Monday, Aug 31. Fourteen teams filed claims for a total of 29 players. Teams’ spots in the waiver wire order determines whether they are awarded their top priority or any secondary priorities they filed.
The first waiver wire order of the season matched the 2026 NFL Draft order. That meant the Las Vegas Raiders were guaranteed to secure their top waiver priority: Defensive back Darrell Luter Jr. The New York Jets, Arizona Cardinals, Tennessee Titans and New York Giants rounded out the first five, but of that group, only the Jets and Titans submitted claims.
For the full order and a complete rundown of how the waiver process works — including which players are subject to waivers and how practice squads are constructed — we have an explainer that outlines the entire system.
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Will Levis among unclaimed players
One of the most head-turning moves at the 53-man roster deadline was the Tennessee Titans’ release of Will Levis, who just three years ago arrived as a potential franchise quarterback. Tennessee kept three quarterbacks, but Levis was not one of them. Even more surprising was that no team scooped him up off waivers. It is a tremendous fall from grace for the former No. 33 overall pick, whose best bet is now to find a practice squad.
Other notable unclaimed players include the following:
Three of the most significant former first-round picks to go unclaimed were offensive linemen Jedrick Wills and Evan Neal and defensive tackle Mazi Smith.
From a player’s perspective, going unclaimed has both benefits and drawbacks. There exists a trade-off between flexibility and job security for those who passed through waivers. On one hand, hitting free agency allows players to have a stronger say in which team signs them. On the other hand, there is no guarantee that they become signed at all.
Warrnambool’s Oliveanotherday has significantly advanced its aspirations for a start in The Everest following a strong audition at Caulfield.
The horse, a winner of the Listed Wangoom Handicap during the Warrnambool May Carnival, returned from a break to claim the Group 3 The Heath 1100 on Saturday.
Sent out as the $2.30 favourite with Harry Coffey in the saddle, Oliveanotherday recorded a 1-½ length victory over Bridal Waltz ($3.70), with War Machine ($6) a further 1-¼ lengths behind in third.
Trainer Tom Dabernig mentioned that there had been some interest in Oliveanotherday for a place in the $20 million The Everest (1200m) scheduled for Randwick on October 17.
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“If the opportunity presented, we would fully embrace it,” Dabernig remarked.
“There has been a little bit of interest in the horse, but I think they were keen to see what he did today.
“It would be a good opportunity for horse, trainer and owner, but we won’t get ahead of ourselves, just yet.”
Dabernig’s priority is to achieve a Group 1 win for Oliveanotherday.
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The Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on September 27 is a potential target, and Dabernig also pointed to the Group 2 Bobbie Lewis Quality (1200m) at Flemington on September 12 as a possible next step.
A run up the straight could pave the way for a Group 1 sprint contest during Melbourne Cup week at Flemington.
Dabernig admitted to feeling nervous during Saturday’s race when Oliveanotherday was positioned behind the leader, Bridal Waltz, along the fence.
“We were a little bit concerned with barrier one and I was mindful, talking to Harry Coffey during the week, of not wanting to chase the speed and to hold a position and give him too hard a run,” Dabernig said.
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“But in doing so, turning for home and when he was held up, we were all a bit tense.
“He’s a horse that can quicken and get himself out of trouble in two or three strides and when he hit the front, I saw that Harry didn’t have to use the whip all that much and was hands and heels and he won nicely.
“It’s a great way to kick the preparation off and hopefully he can continue into the spring and take those next steps.”
Consider placing a bet on Oliveanotherday’s next race with these online bookmakers.
Scottie Scheffler is the best golfer on the PGA Tour. That is the least interesting but most true sentence we’ll include here, but it’s worth establishing off the top; Scheffler reaffirmed his position atop the game at Sunday’s Tour Championship with a round of 66 that catapulted him past the 54-hole leaders and broke the collective spirit of every other player in contention.
Scheffler’s season had been notably strange because he finished second place five different times to five different very worthy opponents. But on Sunday he got the last laugh; for the second time in three weeks, he left all five in the dust. Jackson Koivun (who beat him at the 3M Open) was at home; his next shot at Scheffler will come in 2027. Matt Fitzpatrick (who beat him at the RBC Heritage) was well off the pace in a share of 21st. Cameron Young (who beat him at the Cadillac) was unable to summon any momentum en route to T11. Rory McIlroy (who beat him at the Masters) started too far back to challenge and finished T4. And Viktor Hovland (who beat him at the Travelers) began Sunday three shots ahead of Scheffler but finished three shots behind.
“He’s just good, and he played good every day,” Hovland said by way of explanation. That may be truer than my first sentence, actually. Then he added this, which was more descriptive:
“Today it wasn’t like anybody else really played all that great in contention, and that’s what you see, a lot of guys just gagging and throwing up, and that’s where he just kind of stays in it and shoots a nice score. That gets the job done.”
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Anyway, that’s our obligatory nod to the king, and we’ll continue to spread Scheffler praise throughout the offseason. But it’s not why we’re here. We’re here to pick out some winners from the losers, of which there are many. The PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup Playoffs are in the books. Scheffler has finished his celebratory beer. Here’s who else is leaving happy.
Matt McCarty (and the top 50s)
Playing professional golf means you’re always on some sort of bubble, but perhaps this playoffs’ most important threshold was the top 50 at the conclusion of the FedEx St. Jude Championship. The first man out was Keith Mitchell at No. 51, and the last man in was Matt McCarty at No. 50. McCarty and the fellas just ahead of him (No. 49 Mav McNealy, No. 48 Eric Cole, No. 47 Michael Brennan, etc.) find themselves in a doubly advantageous position heading to 2027. For one thing, they’re in all the Signature Events, which means big points and big money. Even better, being in those Signature Events gives them a massive advantage in terms of securing top-90 status for 2028, when the Tour establishes its two-tier tour even more officially.
So, yeah. McCarty finished T33 at the BMW Championship and didn’t advance further. He doesn’t have a top 20 since early May. But he emerges a winner nonetheless, because of where he’ll begin next season’s campaign.
Adam Scott (and the 40s)
I left the Tour Championship feeling secondhand frustration for Adam Scott, who effectively gave away three shots on the way home at East Lake — he finished 5-5-5 on two par-4s and the gettable par-5 18th — and finished T11 when he could have conceivably shared second with Hovland.
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But in the bigger picture, Scott emerged from this season a big-time winner; he played his way back into the Tour’s top 30, he finished his season with four consecutive finishes of T16 or better, he all but secured his spot in next year’s majors and he showed that he should be a factor on next year’s Tour, plus the new edition for 2028. He’ll be 48 when that season finishes. At the moment that number doesn’t seem particularly relevant.
Shoutout also to Scott’s 40something compatriots, Justin Rose and Gary Woodland. Rose made an ace on Sunday, an exclamation point on a season that included a win and a berth at East Lake. Woodland seemed to finally run out of steam with a Sunday 77, the closing round on an inspiring year that included the most impressive victory on the Tour’s schedule.
For all three, getting to East Lake marked a massive accomplishment and a testament to consistent, season-long competitiveness.
The Fitzpatrick bros (and their top-30s)
Matt Fitzpatrick didn’t exactly light it up in the playoffs; his T12-T28-T21 trio was fine but won’t mark a particularly memorable finish to an otherwise spectacular three-win PGA Tour season. The finish to his younger brother’s season wasn’t looking particularly shiny, either; after exploding onto the scene earlier this summer, Alex Fitzpatrick entered East Lake on a MC-T71-T61-T61-T44 run of mediocrity.
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But then Alex shot a Sunday 66 that tied for low round of the day and boosted him to T4 for the week. That brought all sorts of good feelings to the fore, reminding us just how special it was for two brothers to be among the Tour’s elite. The Fitzpatrick family made up 6.7 percent of the Tour Championship field! And that was all possible thanks to Matt, whose 72nd-hole bunker shot at the Zurich Classic may be the most meaningful shot of the year as well as the biggest you-owe-me moment in big-brother history.
So Alex’s T4 cast a positive light on his incredible rise. It also reminded us how good Matt’s year was. Should be a happy holiday season at home.
few things cooler than a long, spinny bunker shot to kick-in range. but it gets a lot cooler when it’s to win your third PGA Tour event in a month. and a lot cooler than that when it earns your little brother the Tour card he’s always dreamt of. wow pic.twitter.com/xXaYDvqBWO
Two of the Tour’s more intriguing characters, Viktor Hovland and Ryan Gerard, finished 2-3 on Sunday at East Lake, earning some extra cash ($5 million and $3.7 million, respectively) and hopefully some extra confidence, too, despite being steamrolled by Human Compactor Scottie Scheffler.
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They say your 20s are all about exploring. Gerard’s journey takes him next to Switzerland, a classic Eurotrip that we assume will include some soul-searching and scenic golf before he heads back stateside to (his potential spot playing for the U.S. in) the Presidents Cup. Hovland’s future whereabouts are unknown, but we know his ongoing, yearslong journey will continue: his quest to own his golf swing, which lives somewhere between his ears and his nearest driving range but has no final destination.
The journey is more important than the destination, and it’s nice to have both of these guys as part of the fabric of our golfing lives.
Wyndham Clark (and his 10/10 turnaround season)
With that last parenthetical the sub-headings on this piece have officially gotten a bit overwrought, but oh well. We can’t all finish the season on our best foot, not even Clark, whose T21 at East Lake was fitting, in some ways. Clark had three wins, including the U.S. Open and a playoff event. He only had three other top 10s. And really, once you have the three wins, who cares about the top 10s?
As so, while he won’t win any awards for consistency, Clark’s comeback from poor form both on- and off-course in 2025 was impressive to behold, most recently as he held off Rory McIlroy with some late heroics at Bellerive.
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As for his offseason?
“Presidents Cup, I’m playing a tournament in Japan, hopefully get engaged, and then going to South Africa for a tournament as well,” Clark said in Atlanta. One of those things is not like the other, but there’s still a theme here: It’s a good time to be Wyndham Clark.
Even if he, like the rest of the golfing world, is still staring up at Scottie Scheffler.
The battle brewing between LSU and the SEC is heating up.
Ahead of an anticipated court hearing Thursday in Louisana, the SEC and its members are weighing all possible outcomes, including possible forfeiture of games, a legal challenge in federal court and even possible expulsion, sources told CBS Sports. Yahoo Sports reported earlier Monday that possible boycotts were also being discussed. Expulsion is considered extremely, extremely unlikely but speaks to the level of frustration within the conference that it has even been uttered.
It’s the latest escalation in a fascinating standoff between the SEC and one of its members. If you need a refresher, it stems from LSU’s decision to add three former professional football players, two of whom played for Lane Kiffin at Ole Miss last season, to this year’s roster. The players, as part of a larger group of more than 40 athletes, won a temporary restraining order from a Baton Rouge judge that allows them to return to college football and benefit from a new five years of eligibility in five seasons rule change that excluded the class of 2022. The ruling prohibited the NCAA from enforcing its rules on eligibility and professional athletes.
As CBS Sports first reported last week, LSU reached out to multiple players on NFL rosters or their representatives to urge them to file a lawsuit against the NCAA and return to school, according to sources. This includes some of the players who ended up in a Louisiana lawsuit challenging the NCAA’s ruling, which sources have pointed out wasn’t tried in Baton Rouge by accident.
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The SEC – along with the Big Ten, ACC and Big 12 – then passed a rule that banned professional football players from returning to the collegiate ranks. Additionally, the SEC’s presidents and chancellors gave commissioner Greg Sankey full power to dole out punishments related to violating the rules, in addition to suspending a head coach for up to half the season and fining a program as much as 50 percent of its operating costs. The final formal vote within the SEC was 15-0, with LSU notably abstaining.
The lawyers for those impacted athletes, in turn, added the SEC and commissioner Greg Sankey to the lawsuit to prevent the conference from enforcing its rules. The SEC’s intraconference transfer rules prevent a player from transferring from one SEC institution to another outside of the transfer portal windows, as Dae’Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris are attempting to do.
In a statement to CBS Sports on Sunday, the conference said it would comply with the order but fight to enforce its rules.
“The order entered against the SEC and Commissioner Sankey is a temporary restraining order, not a final ruling on the merits,” the conference said in a statement. “The SEC and Commissioner Sankey are prepared to contest the allegations in the plaintiffs’ petition at Thursday morning’s hearing and defend the SEC’s rights as a voluntary association to fulfill its mission to its member institutions.”
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Even if LSU and the athletes are victorious on Thursday, the fight won’t be over. In fact, multiple SEC sources indicated confidence that, with a number of options available to the league, it would eventually end with those players becoming ineligible. The College Football Playoff is also weighing a possible playoff ban on any school that plays a former professional athlete who isn’t eligible under NCAA rules, according to sources.
The looming question is how far LSU is willing to go and what could be the eventual penalties if the school disobeys the conference ban. On Monday, Kiffin said he would “absolutely” follow the SEC’s rules if the court order was reversed.
“All we’re waiting for is clarity this week from the SEC, which they can’t give final clarity until Thursday’s ruling,” Kiffin said. “We are waiting for final clearance and guidelines from the SEC. I have been in communication daily with the SEC to make sure we’re complying with the SEC rules.”
Kiffin has been in frequent communication with Louisiana governor Jeff Landry, according to sources, and there is a belief amongst at least some SEC sources that Landry is a primary driving force in the escalating battle. A request for comment from Landry’s office went unreturned last week but he told Front Office Sports, in part, “This whole thing is ridiculous. Don’t hate the player, hate the game.”
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LSU must set its final roster on Friday, one game before an anticipated game against Clemson. Whether the three former NFL players are on the roster — Dae’Quan Wright, Zxavian Harris and Junior Tuihalamaka — could prompt serious fireworks within the SEC.
Gilas Pilipinas coach Tim Cone during a game against Iran in the Fiba World Cup Asian Qualifiers at Mall of Asia Arena.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
Gilas Pilipinas shifts from the euphoria of completing a home sweep in the fourth window of the Fiba World Cup Asian Qualifiers to making sure it can defend its gold medal in the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.
Coach Tim Cone is making a quick turnaround as he is now set to handle a completely different lineup—and even a completely different system—for the continental showcase set Sept. 10 to 20.
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“From what I’ve seen from that team, they’re a lot of fun to watch,” Cone said. “I think the fans and the countrymen are gonna have a lot of fun watching that team.”
An all-PBA squad will comprise the team for the Asiad, with a spot reserved for Justin Brownlee should he decide to return after skipping the window.
NLEx’s Robert Bolick and Rain or Shine’s Adrian Nocum are among the notable candidates to make the Asiad roster, with their games seemingly fitting the team’s playing style.
On the other hand, three players from the window pool will move into the Asiad buildup: Converge twin towers Justine Baltazar and Justin Arana and Barangay Ginebra’s RJ Abarrientos.
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Abarrientos didn’t make the cut for the window, Baltazar saw limited action against Jordan, while Arana was placed in the final 12 against Iran after Carl Tamayo went down with a sprained ankle.
Cone said Arana had already trained with the Asian Games squad, while Baltazar and Abarrientos will have to get up to speed when they join Tuesday’s practice.
Assistants Richard del Rosario, Josh Reyes and Jong Uichico were tasked to oversee the Asiad preparations while Cone was busy with the Qualifiers, and Cone has allowed that squad to go in a different direction.
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“It’s a different system, they’re not playing my system,” Cone said. “They’re playing a different system, and more of an up-tempo, push the ball because they’re a little bit smaller. Obviously they’re smaller because they don’t have Kai [Sotto] and AJ [Edu] and June Mar [Fajardo] playing.
“So they’re smaller, so they’re gonna use their speed and quickness to get up and down the floor. So it’ll be really interesting to watch and see how they play against Jordan or Iran, and kinda compare them to the window team.” INQ
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Tennessee quarterback Will Levis (8) was unclaimed on waivers Monday and became a free agent.
Tennessee Titans 2023 second-round pick Will Levis is among a deep pool of NFL veterans hitting free agency on Monday after going unclaimed on waivers.
All 32 NFL teams set their preliminary 53-man roster ahead of the league deadline Sunday night, but many are still making adjustments Monday with a flurry of activity on the waiver wire.
Levis started 21 games for the Titans in his career, completing 61% of passes for 3,899 yards, 21 touchdowns and 26 total turnovers (16 interceptions). He had a 5-16 record as a starter and spent last season recovering from shoulder surgery after being unseated as the starter by No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward.
Players with fewer than four seasons in the NFL are subject to waivers, while any player with four-plus seasons is granted an outright release to be an immediate free agent.
The current waiver order follows the 2026 NFL Draft order with the Las Vegas Raiders holding the top position.
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The Raiders claimed defensive back Darrell Luter Jr., a fifth-round pick of the San Francisco 49ers in 2023.
The Miami Dolphins were the busiest team with seven total waiver claims. The Dolphins, admittedly in rebuilding mode, claimed tight end Justin Joly, a rookie drafted by the Denver Broncos 152nd overall in April.
All 31 other NFL teams had an opportunity to place a waiver claim on Levis and assume the remainder of his contract.
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Because he went unclaimed, Levis immediately becomes an unrestricted free agent. The Titans also waived former University of Tennessee and Detroit Lions quarterback Hendon Hooker.
The Dolphins claimed former Missouri quarterback Brady Cook from the Jets after finalizing a deal over the weekend to send quarterback Quinn Ewers to the Jacksonville Jaguars in a trade. Miami also waived two quarterbacks on Sunday who went unclaimed: Mark Gronowski (Iowa) and Cam Miller (North Dakota State).
Cody Gakpo was expected to leave Liverpool before the transfer window slams shut on Tuesday with Manchester City in the driving seat
Manchester City will prioritise a move for Enzo Fernandez with Cody Gakpo’s move from Liverpool now off. City’s Premier League rivals have blocked a departure for the Holland international, despite the 27-year-old reportedly being keen on a move.
City had made a late dash for the wantaway Liverpool star after the midfielder was left to mull over his options ahead of Bradley Barcola’s arrival on Merseyside. The Athletic reports that Liverpool have rejected City’s offer of £75m plus £5m in add-ons.
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Now the focus will switch to reunion for Enzo Maresca and the Chelsea star Fernandez. The Argentinian hasn’t featured in each of the Londoners’ last two games, having made a substitute appearance against Fulham in the opening match.
The Italian head coach has witnessed Tijjani Reijnders, Nico Gonzalez and key man Rodri exit the Etihad Stadium this summer for moves to Newcastle United and Barcelona, respectively.
Blues icon Bernardo Silva left upon the expiry of his contract last season and City have moved to fix those gaps in the transfer window.
Ayyoub Bouaddi and Ellot Anderson among them after the pair made lucrative moves to the North West while Fernandez is the third midfield addition identified.
It was reported earlier this summer that the 27-year-old wanted to leave Chelsea with links to Real Madrid prevalent. Los Blancos subsequently released a statement that they were not interested in the Argentine but uncertainty has persisted around his future at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea had set a deadline of August 14 for the midfielder, which City didn’t meet, and now there is a race against time to complete a move for Fernandez before September 1 when the window slams shut at 11pm.
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But Londoners boss Xabi Alonso kept the door open to a possible sale.
He said: “We’ll see. We want the best for the team and that’s why we made the decision against Luton and today and anything that happens before Tuesday evening, we need to be aware of what is going to develop.
“We are not sure, we are preparing for all the scenarios but I am sure that whatever happens from Wednesday we will have a good enough squad to compete in all the Premier League games.”
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The football world reacted as Argentina captain Lionel Messi announced his international retirement on Monday (August 31), ending his illustrious career with 125 goals in 207 appearances, both tallies only dwarfed by Cristiano Ronaldo
The 39-year-old won four senior titles with the national team, including one FIFA World Cup (2022), and came within a final win of adding another last month before the Albiceleste lost 1-0 in extra time to Spain.
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Having made his international debut in a friendly win over Hungary in August 2005, Messi called time 21 years later after registering a record 193 goal contributions (125 goals, 58 assists) in the international game.
Following Messi’s international retirement, many of his Argentina teammates, club teammates and FIFA president Gianni Infantino shared their thoughts. Here’s what some of them said:
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Lionel Messi’s international teammate Rodrigo De Paul wrote on his Instagram Story (as translated from Spanish):
“Just thank you. The greatest of all time. Thank you for making us so incredibly happy. You can’t imagine how many smiles you brought to our faces!! You are eternal.”
“I love you. I admire you, and I will always be grateful to you for everything you left in me and for our country. Thank you for so much, captain. 🥹❤️”
Angel Di Maria wrote on Instagram (as per Messi Xtra):
“We will remain grateful to you for our entire lives because you are Argentine, and because you raised the name of Argentina to the top of the world, and because you chose to be Argentine at a time when you could have easily chosen another country. Thank you, Captain. Thank you for everything. The best in history.”
Messi’s former Barcelona teammate Xavi wrote on Instagram (as per Messi Xtra):
“Warmest congratulations, Leo!! You’ve achieved everything you wanted with your country!! Big hug, my friend! ♥️⚽🔝🙏
The Argentina national football team wrote on X:
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“Thank you for giving us the most beautiful journey of our lives. Your legacy and professionalism will remain forever etched in our hearts. Thank you, Captain. We love you 🩵.”
Giuliano Simeone wrote on Instagram (as translated from Spanish) about Lionel Messi:
“Thank you, Leo. For everything you did for our country, for everything you made us feel, and for having been an inspiration to so many of us since we were kids. Today, the player we all admire says goodbye to the National Team. But for me, the idol I watched as a kid and whom I was lucky enough to have by my side one day is also saying goodbye. You are eternal. INFINITE THANKS.”
“A huge sadness, honestly. You’re never prepared for these things, but from the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU!! You are my example and an example for the whole world, a winner in football and a winner in life!! My daughter will be very proud that her father shared a team with such an extraordinary human being. You are the greatest athlete in history, because when it comes to football, honestly, there is no comparison. I love you so much 😭❤️””
Enzo Fernandez wrote for Lionel Messi:
“I didn’t just get to play with you. We shared training camps, the dressing room, conversations, hugs, difficult moments, incredible moments, and we ended up becoming world champions together. … You always had a word, some advice, a hug, or simply a way of making me feel calm whenever I needed it. I’ll never forget that.
“Today, it’s hard for me to imagine the next training camp without you. … Thank you for treating me the way you did, for everything you taught me, and for allowing me to share a part of your story. “We’re going to miss you so much, captain.” 💙🥺”
FIFA president Gianni Infantino wrote on Instagram:
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“Congratulations 🇦🇷@leomessi on an extraordinary international career which has inspired millions and redefined the beautiful game. 👏 … Thank you for every unforgettable memory defending the colors of@afaseleccion. And for uniting fans from every corner of the world. I wish you all the best in your next chapter. ⚽️❤️”
Lionel Messi ends his international career with 21 FIFA World Cup goals, only one shy of record holder Kylian Mbappe.
How Lionel Messi fared for Argentina at 2026 FIFA World Cup
Lionel Messi – Spain vs Argentina: Final – FIFA World Cup 2026 – Source: Getty
Lionel Messi had a stellar campaign for Argentina at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico, where Lionel Scaloni’s side narrowly failed to join Italy and Brazil as the only teams to defend their World Cup titles.
In eight games, La Pulga scored eight times and provided four assists in eight matches as the holders fell to Spain in the final. During the campaign, Messi set the record for longest scoring run (9) in the competition.
Lionel Messi also scored or assisted in a record 11 straight World Cup games and set the record for most assists (12) in the competition. He finished two goals short of Golden Boot winner Kylian Mbappe (10).
Plagiarism achieved his first career victory in dominant fashion, overpowering his rivals to claim the Group 3 $250,000 Up And Coming Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.
Co-trainer Adrian Bott expressed no surprise at the win, attributing much of the gelding’s success to the decision to geld him after his juvenile season.
“We have had him in all the biggest races so far, we haven’t run him in maidens, and that was his first win today,” Bott explained. “Last preparation we chased the Golden Slipper dream but it just wasn’t happening for him. I feel having the horse gelded has helped him, definitely. He was impressive today.”
Controlled by Regan Bayliss, Plagiarism ($8) dictated the terms of the race and was never seriously tested, winning by almost a length from the fast-finishing Genesis Runner ($4.40). Hostwin King ($17) finished a further half-length back in third.
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The favourite, Savagram ($2.30), from the same stable, closed well to secure fourth place.
Bayliss conveyed to Racing And Sports that he felt confident for a significant period of the race due to Plagiarism’s fluid movement.
“He is a horse that can roll along at a nice speed and quicken off that which is a really good attribute to have,” Bayliss stated. “When he got there so easily and got into a great rhythm I thought it was going to take a good one to run him down. He was just too good. He keeps improving, this horse and that was a really good confidence-boosting win. He’s still only lightly raced and is on the way up.”
Bott, who trains alongside Gai Waterhouse, mentioned that their initial thoughts of targeting races like the Tapp-Craig and Callander-Presnell would now be reconsidered after Plagiarism’s strong performance.
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“We will look at the Golden Rose,” Bott commented. “There is probably a sweet spot getting out to 1400m for this horse. I thought he might have been a step below the top three-year-olds but he was very impressive today. He is a horse that has always shown natural speed and brilliance. We wanted to see him utilise that and he executed that perfectly. It was a great effort by him first-up with a big weight and he has obviously taken improvement from the run. We will see how he comes through this and look to where we aim up but everything is on the table at present.”
Bott also highlighted the merit in Savagram’s run.
“I thought he was excellent,” Bott said. “It was his second career start and that was probably what showed today. When the speed increased from the 600m he just wanted to lay out slightly under pressure. But I thought he knuckled down really well and was excellent through the line. He is going to keep improving as he gets up over further and I thought it was a very good run for where he is at in his career.”
The filly Savvy Diamond, also from the Waterhouse-Bott stable, experienced interference early in the race and finished eighth.
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Consider exploring Australian betting sites for the most competitive racing odds.
NEW DELHI: India head coach Khalid Jamil has named a 26-member squad for the upcoming FIFA international window, with the Blue Tigers set for a demanding run of fixtures against Panama, five-time world champions Brazil and two-time world champions Uruguay.The three-match schedule will give Jamil’s side a major opportunity to test themselves against high-profile opposition, with all three countries having featured at the FIFA World Cup earlier this year. India will first face Panama in Bengaluru before travelling to Kolkata for back-to-back encounters against Brazil and Uruguay.The national camp will begin in Bengaluru on September 14, with India scheduled to play Panama on September 26 at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium. The squad will then travel to Kolkata on September 28 ahead of the two marquee fixtures.
Brazil, Uruguay await in Kolkata
India will take on Brazil at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan on October 3 before facing Uruguay at the same venue three days later on October 6.The fixtures represent a stern challenge for Jamil’s young side, particularly against two of international football’s most decorated teams. The matches will also allow the head coach to assess his squad against stronger opposition ahead of India’s upcoming assignments.Jamil has also named four reserve players who could be drafted into the squad if required. Goalkeeper Hrithik Tiwari, defenders Chinglensana Singh Konsham and Roshan Singh Naorem, and midfielder Suresh Singh Wangjam have been placed on standby.
India squad for September-October window
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The 26-member squad includes four goalkeepers, eight defenders, eight midfielders, and six forwards.
Skidding into the FIBA World Cup break on just its second losing streak of the season left the WNBA-leading Minnesota Lynx slightly on edge.
Or does “ravenously on guard” sound more optimistic?
Either way, “when we get back to work, we’ve got things to work on,” Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said.
That’s because this rare Minnesota slide has coincided with a surge from the Golden State Valkyries, who denied the Lynx a chance to clinch home-court advantage throughout the playoffs with a gutty, 77-66 victory on Aug. 24.
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Golden State’s first win against Minnesota in 10 tries since joining the “W” in 2025 certainly infused intrigue into the final four games of the 2026 campaign.
Despite the slump, the break could be coming at an agreeable time for Minnesota, even as various players prepare to represent the United States, Australia, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Spain.
Once play resumes on Sept. 17, the Lynx need any combination of two wins or Valkyries losses to earn home-court for the postseason. Last week’s loss to Golden State and Sunday’s road defeat in Atlanta showed that Minnesota must be mightier when things get physical, though.
“We’re being guarded in a way that should be illegal,” Reeve said, “but we’re not putting the referees in a position to make them see it, so you can’t fade away.”
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As a sizable segment of the roster heads overseas, an international competition only can sharpen players’ focus while reinforcing the urgency of the stretch run.
“I am still coming back, but I need to do better, too,” Collier said. “It’s going to be physical. It’s going to be physical in the playoffs.”
The regular season isn’t always a picnic, either, and offers a welcome shot of respite for some Lynx not in the tournament.
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Minnesota rookie point guard Olivia Miles has navigated various injuries in recent weeks and collided with a cameraman late in Sunday’s game in Atlanta. She went down at the baseline and eventually walked back under her own power.
Courtney Williams returned after missing the showdown with the Valkyries with a midfoot sprain and gets the chance for additional rest.
But Golden State will recharge, too, and is sending just four players to the World Cup. What’s more, the Valkyries’ remaining opponents – Portland twice, Los Angeles and Seattle – each have been eliminated from playoff contention and bring a collective .325 winning percentage (39-81) into the break.
Minnesota has a visit to 10-win Connecticut on the docket but otherwise will face foes jockeying for home court in the first round. The Lynx host the New York Liberty coming out of the break before finishing with a home-and-home against the Indiana Fever.
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Speaking after Sunday’s win at Portland that capped a 4-1 road trip, Golden State forward Kayla Thornton said: “We just talked about that in the locker room, making sure (we) don’t go on this break and do nothing, but make sure you do what you need.
“We’ve got to come back because, you know, these next four games after World Cup are very vital heading into playoffs.”
The Lynx aren’t in a position to disagree. They know what they must do to keep their perch. Now comes nearly three weeks to reflect – and work.
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